Statement on 10/10 RIFs

Late in the evening of October 10th, hundreds of staff at CDC received Reduction in Force (RIF) notices. Entire programs were eliminated, including those that track important health statistics, handle communications to the public, and even more leadership across the agency. Since January of this year, thousands of staff at Health and Human Services (HHS) agencies have been illegally terminated. Public health and science are under attack.

Continuing to dismantle the CDC puts American lives at risk. In the event of an emergency, America is no longer prepared to respond swiftly or effectively. Programs that keep Americans healthy, safe, and secure are being destroyed. Even if you don’t see it, public health is working in the background to protect all Americans. Public health is non-partisan, but it is being used to fight a political battle and promote agendas.

As we continue to gather information about the destruction of CDC due to continued lack of transparency, our thoughts are with everyone who received a RIF notice. We are not going anywhere and will continue to fight for the good of public health for all Americans.